Retaining and recharging valve for air-brakes.



PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906.

0. B. HARRINGTON. RETAINING AND REOHARGING VALVE FOR AIR BRAKES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25,1905

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PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906.

G. B. HARRINGTON. RETAINING AND REGHARGING VALVE FOR AIR BRAKES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25,1905,

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UNTTED STATES PATENT UFFTCE.

CLAUDE B. HARRINGTON, OF MOMECHEN, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HARRY A. UHLER, W. J. DUFFY, AND O. L. SIMMS, OF

MOMECHEN, WEST VIRGINIA.

RETAINING AND RECHARGING VALVE FOR AIR-BRAKES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1906.

Application filed September 25, 1905. Serial No, 280,096.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUDE B. HARRING- TON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of McMechen, county of Marshall, and State of WVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Retaining and Recharging Valves for Air-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to novel retaining and recharging valves for air-brakes; and it has for its object to provide means whereby the auxiliary reservoirs and train-line may be recharged without releasing the brakes, or, in other words, to provide means whereby the engineman may hold the brakes set on his train while recharging the auxiliaries and trainline, thus enabling him to retain absolute control of his train at all times and under all conditions.

A further object is to provide means whereby an increased braking power is secured.

In describing the invention in detail referenee is herein had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the valvecasing. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the piston and the rear face of the slide-valve which depends therefrom. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the slide-valve, a section being made on the line 3 3, Fig 2. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the invention complete, showing its connection with the train-line and auxiliary. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the valve-casing, showing the interior mechanism thereof. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the slide-valve with the piston removed from connection therewith. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the same on the line 7 7, Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a sec tional view showing the grooves in the sleeve or casing.

In the drawings, in which like referencenu merals designate like parts, 1 indicates the trainline leading to the ordinary triple valve 2. Mounted upon this train-line 1 at any desired point, preferably near the triple valve, is a casing 3, in which is inelosed the operating parts of my invention. Said casing 3 partially consists of a body portion 4 with integral oppositely-disposed tubular arms 5 and 6, through which communication is had with the train-line, said arms being coupled to said train-line in any suitable manner, preferably by means of couplings or unions 7, as shown. A second body portion 8 is secured on the top of the body portion 4, as shown. A removable cap 9 is fitted upon the lower end of said body portion 4, and a similar cap 10 is secured upon the top or upper end of the body portion 8. Said body portion 4 incloses a substantially semicylindrical valve-chamber 11, the upper part of which forms a piston-chamber 12 of greater diameter than the chamber 11, and consequently having shoulders forming a seat 13 for a piston.

The body portion 8 incloses a semicylindrical valve-chamber 14, which is in open communication with the piston-chamber 12 and which also communicates, through a passage 15, with a storage and equalizing reservoir 16, suitably located. The said chamber 14 is of less diameter than the piston-chamber 12, and shoulders 17 are thus formed, against which the piston seats at the end of its upward stroke. A recharging-port 18 is provided in the side of the body portion 4, through which communication is had with the auxiliary 19 through a connecting-pipe 20 for a purpose which will hereinafter be made apparent. 21 indicates a piston mounted on a piston-rod. 22 for operation in said piston-chamber 1.2. Said rod is divided and forms a yoke 23, which is fitted as a collar about a tubular sleeve or casing 24, which incloses a spring-controlled emergency-valve 25 and a non-return check-valve 26. Said emergency-valve 25 consists of a tubular sleeve 27, having upon its front end an annular ring 28. Said ring is adapted to seat against an annular shoulder provided in said sleeve or casing 24, as shown, while the sleeve 27 is adapted to guide said ring in its movement back and forth within the casing 24. The check-valve 26 consists of a plunger 29 and a stem 30, to which or about which is at tached a spring 31, said plunger being nor mally held seated against a seat 32, formed by said annular ring 28. A spring 33 is suitably mounted at its outer end and rests at its inner end against the face of the emergencyvalve 25, being adapted for holding said emergency-valve seated. Formed integral l with said casing 24 is a slide-valve 34, on the rear face of which is secured springs 35,which bear against and slide upon a guide 36. Said guide consists of a plate supported in a stationary position in the valve-chamber 11, its upper-end forming a yoke which straddles the casing 24, as shown in Fig. 5, and adapted for permitting said casing to slide up and down between the forks thereof without hindrance. The face of the slide-valve 34 is preferably flat and slides against a flat surface or wall provided in said chamber 11. In the slide-valve 34 is provided a train-line opening or port 37, which stands in direct communication with the train-line when the valve is in release position. Also provided in said slide-valve below said train-line opening is a recharging-port 38, adapted to register with said recharging-port 18 in the body portion 4 when the piston rests upon its seat 13.

A stem or post 39 is mounted upon the upper face of the piston 21 and carries between lugs 40, which are integral therewith, a slidevalve 41, the face-of which slides against a flat wall in said chamber 14. Having its opposite ends straddling said stem 39 and resting upon the slide-valve 41 is a spring 42, the back of which slides upon the face of a guide 43, which is supported in a stationary posi tion in the valve-chamber 14, as shown. A port 44 is provided in said slide-valve 41, which communicates, when the piston 21. is

I in its lowered position, with a passage 45,

leading to the recharging-port 18, as shown, said passage being formed or cast in a raised ridge 46 on the side of the bodies 4 and 8, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

A gasket 47 isprovided on the seat 13, as shown. A balance check-valve is provided in the recharging-port 18, allowing air to flow to auxiliary 19 and to the storage and equalizing reservoir 16 and for preventing the flow of air from said auxiliary and said reservoir through said recharging-port.

In the face of the slide-valve 34 is a groove or channel 48, which communicates at one end with the recharging-port 38 and at the other with the interior of the sleeve or casing 24, passing around the train-line opening, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The operation of the invention is substantially as follows: The invention being located on the train-line in front of the triple valve, the air is permitted to pass unobstructed through the valve -chamber 11 to the triple valve in the usual manner, and it in no way interferes with'the operation of the brakrs in the usual or ordinary way. The train-line pressure passing through said valve-chamber holds the parts composing the invention in the positions indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, in which the train-line opening or port 37 is in direct communication with the arms 5 and 6, and the piston occupies a position at the top of the piston-chamber 12, having been forced to that position by the train-line .said piston is forced down upon the seat 13,

causing the parts to assume the positions indicated in full lines in Fig. 5, closing commu nication between said train-line and the valvechamber 14 and blocking the train-line by the check-valve 26, which latter allows air to flow from the triple-valve side only, also bringing the recharging-port 38 in the slidevalve 34 into communication with the recharging-port 18 and allows the air in the reservoir 16 to equalize with the auxiliary 19 through the then registering port 44, passage 45, and recharging-port 18. Any further reduction of air allows air. to flow past the check-valve through ports 50, provided in said casing 24, as shown in Figs. 5, 7, and 8. In order to maintain the full pressure secured by an emergency application of the brakes, the emergency-valve 25 is provided, it allowing air to flow from the train-line to the brake-cylinder through grooves 51, provided in the inner wall of the outer end of the sleeve or casing 24, as shown in Fig. 8. It should be understood that the emergency-valve only operates in case of emergency application of the brakes. The spring 33 is sufiiciently strong or is under sufficient tension to hold the emergency-valve seated except when subj ected to the unseating pressure of an emergency application. In an emergency application the air flows in a direction opposite to that in the case of a service application, owing to the fact that about twenty per cent. of the train-line pressure is taken from the trainline in such emergency application. The emergency-valve is consequently subjected to an unseating pressure on the trainline side against the tension of said spring 33. It should be borne in mind that this spring is strong enough to hold the emergency-valve seated except when there is a rapid reduction of air-pressure in the train-line and that other than an emergency application will not unseat said valve. To recharge the auxiliary reservoirs and the train-line, the engineers brake-valve is moved to running position, allowing a gradual flow of air, governed by feed-valve attachment, into the train-line. This gradual increase of air passes through the recharging-port 38 and the registering passage 18, through pipe 20, to the auxiliary and through the groove or channel 48 to the train-line on opposite sides of the triple, also through the passage 45 and port 44 to the ITO reservoir 16, until the full train-line pressure is reached, while the triple valve is in lap position, thus retaining the brakes set. As is obvious, the connections of the pipe 20 with the train-line and auxiliary may be made at any convenient points. To release the brakes, the engineers brake-valve is moved to full-release position, allowing the main reservoir-pressure to flow into the train-line with a sudden wave. The velocity of this wave overcomes the difl'erence in the areas of the exposed faces of the piston 21, forcing said piston and the valves upward to release position. This allows air to flow against the train-line side of the triple valve to force it to release position. The velocity of this wave causes the prompt release of all the brakes throughout the train when said brake-valve is moved to release position, and, in l act,produces a much more effective and. prompt release of the brakes than can be produced with the ordinary brake mechanism. Also an increased braking power is secured by the airpressure in the reservoir 16 equalizing with that in the auxiliary 19.

While the device as above described in no way interferes with the usual mode of oper ating the brakes, it enables the engineer or engineman to retain complete and absolute control of his train on any grade and under all conditions.

Various minor changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts composing the invention without departing from the general spirit or scope thereof. Hence I do not desire to limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the train-line and the triple valve of an air-brake system, a con trolling device in communication with said train-line and triple valve, a piston in said device, slide-valves carried on the opposing ends of said piston, a port in each of said valves, and passage located between said ports and adapted to register at its ends with each in predetermined position of the piston.

2. In combination with the train-line and the triple valve of an air-brake system, a controlling device in communication with the train-line and with the triple valve, a piston carrying slide-valves in said device with a port in each of said valves and a train-line opening in one of said valves, an emergencyvalve and a check-valve carried by said lastnamed slide-valve, and a passage connecting said ports of the slide-valves in a predetermined position of the piston.

3. In combination with the train-line, triple valve and auxiliary reservoir, controlling means connected to said train-line and triple valve, said means embodying a movable ele ment, slide-valves secured on opposing ends of said element and having ports, a train-line opening and an emergency and a check valve provided in one of said valves, a casing, a tubular sleeve carrying a ring seated in said casing, a spring-pressed valve in said sleeve engaging said ring, and a spring abutting said ring, with a passage for connecting said ports of the slide-valves in predetermined position of the piston.

4. In combination with the train-line, triple valve and auxiliary reservoir, controlling means connected to said train-line and triple valve, said means embodying a piston-chamber, a piston therein, valve-chambers above and below said piston-chamber and of less diameter than said piston-chamber, a feedpassage for admitting air from the pistonchamber to the upper of the valve-chambers when the piston is at the limit of its upward movement, slide-valves carried by the piston and provided with ports, and a passage for establishing communication between said ports when the piston reaches predetermined position.

5. In combination with the train-line, triple valve and auxiliary reservoir, controlling means connected to each, a piston-chamber and valve-chambers on opposite sides there of, a piston carrying valves, means for admitting air to the upper of said valve-chambers when the piston is at the limit of its upward movement, and means for establishing communication between said valve-chambers around said piston when the latter reaches predetermined position.

6. In combination with the train-line, triple valve and auxiliary reservoir, controlling means connected to each, a piston-chamber and valve-chambers on opposing sides thereof, a piston carrying valves in said chamber, means for admitting air to the upper of said chambers when the piston is at the limit of its upward movement, ports in each valve, and a passage around the piston for establishing communication between said valvechambers through each of said ports when the piston reaches predetermined position.

7. In combination with the train-line, triple valve, and storage-reservoir, controlling means connected to each, a recharging-port, a piston, means controlled by said piston whereby communication is established between the storage-reservoir and said recharging-port in predetermined position of said piston, and means whereby air may be admitted from the train-line around said piston to the storage-reservoir when the piston reaches the limit of its upward movement.

Signed by me in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLAUDE B. HARRINGTON. \Vitnesses:

H. E. DUNLAP, E. A. LEUKARD. 

